Ultrasonic tank and methods for uniform glass substrate etching

Abstract

In some embodiments, an ultrasonic tank includes a container, an etching solution tank comprising a working area disposed within the container, and a plurality of ultrasonic transducers arranged about a perimeter of the etching solution tank in a configuration that provides a standard deviation of ultrasonic power within the working area of less than about 0.35.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An ultrasonic tank comprising:
 a container; 
 an etching solution tank comprising a working area disposed within the container and an etching solution comprising at least one of hydrofluoric acid, nitric acid, hydrochloric acid or sulfuric acid, 
 wherein the working area has a center; 
 a relative ultrasonic power at the center is 1; and 
 the relative ultrasonic power at each point in the working area is in a range from 0.8 to 1.8; and 
 a plurality of ultrasonic transducers configured to uniformly etch a glass substrate configured in the container, wherein the plurality of ultrasonic transducers are arranged in a linear array to extend along a length or width of the surface of the container about a perimeter of the etching solution tank in a configuration that provides a standard deviation of relative ultrasonic power within the working area of less than 0.35. 
 
     
     
       2. The ultrasonic tank of  claim 1 , wherein the etching solution tank has a quadrilateral cross section, a bottom surface and four surfaces extending vertically from the bottom surface, wherein each of the four surfaces comprise two vertical edges and two horizontal edges and the four surfaces comprise two pairs of opposing surfaces. 
     
     
       3. The ultrasonic tank of  claim 2 , wherein one of the plurality of ultrasonic transducers extends along the horizontal edges of one of the pairs of opposing surfaces. 
     
     
       4. The ultrasonic tank of  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of ultrasonic transducers are continuously arranged to extend across one of the pairs of opposing surfaces. 
     
     
       5. The ultrasonic tank of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of ultrasonic transducers are continuously arranged to extend across the bottom surface. 
     
     
       6. The ultrasonic tank of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of ultrasonic transducers are continuously arranged to extend across an upper portion of one of the pairs of opposing surfaces and to extend across a middle portion of the bottom surface. 
     
     
       7. The ultrasonic tank of  claim 1 , further comprising a water tank wherein the etching solution tank is disposed within the water tank and the water tank is disposed within the container. 
     
     
       8. The ultrasonic tank of  claim 1 , wherein the standard deviation of relative ultrasonic power within the working area of less than about 0.25. 
     
     
       9. The ultrasonic tank of  claim 1 , wherein the relative ultrasonic power at each point in the working area is in a range from about 0.8 to about 1.6. 
     
     
       10. The ultrasonic tank of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of ultrasonic transducers are configured to extend along the length of the horizontal edges of the side surfaces of the container, such that there are transducers configured along the length of the bottom two corners and the top two corners of the container. 
     
     
       11. The ultrasonic tank of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of ultrasonic transducers are configured in a continuously spaced configuration along the height of the side surfaces of the container and extending along the length of the side surfaces of the container and continuously spaced along the width of the bottom surface of the container and extending along the length of bottom surface of the container. 
     
     
       12. The ultrasonic tank of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of ultrasonic transducers are configured in continuously spaced configuration along an upper 80% of the height of the side surfaces of the container and extending along the length of the side surfaces of the container and continuously spaced along a middle 60% of the width of bottom surface of the container and extending along the length of bottom surface of the container. 
     
     
       13. The ultrasonic tank of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of ultrasonic transducers are configured in continuously spaced configuration along an upper 70% of the height of the side surfaces of the container and extending along the length of the side surfaces of the container and continuously spaced along a middle 40% of the width of bottom surface of the container and extending along the length of bottom surface of the container. 
     
     
       14. The ultrasonic tank of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of ultrasonic transducers are configured in continuously spaced configuration along a height of side surfaces of the container and extending along the length of side surfaces of the container. 
     
     
       15. The ultrasonic tank of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of ultrasonic transducers are configured in continuously spaced configuration along an upper 40% of the height of each side surface of the container and extending along the length of side surfaces of the container; continuously spaced along a lower 20% of the height of each side surface of the container and extending along the length of side surfaces of the container; continuously spaced along a left 20% of the width of bottom surface of the container and extending along the length of bottom surface of the container; and continuously spaced along a right 20% of the width of bottom surface of the container and extending along the length of bottom surface of the container. 
     
     
       16. A glass etching system, comprising:
 a glass substrate; and 
 an ultrasonic tank comprising:
 a container; 
 an etching solution tank disposed within the container, the etching solution tank comprising a working area for etching the glass substrate and an etching solution comprising at least one of hydrofluoric acid, nitric acid, hydrochloric acid or sulfuric acid; and 
 a plurality of ultrasonic configured to uniformly etch a glass substrate configured in the container, wherein the plurality of ultrasonic transducers are arranged in a linear array to extend along a length or width of the surface of the container about a perimeter of the etching solution tank in a configuration that provides a standard deviation of relative ultrasonic power within the working area of less than about 0.35; 
 wherein the working area has a center; 
 
 a relative ultrasonic power at the center is 1; and
 the relative ultrasonic power at each point in the working area is in a range from 0.8 to 1.8. 
 
 
     
     
       17. The glass etching system of  claim 16 , wherein the glass substrate comprises at least one pin hole. 
     
     
       18. The glass etching system of  claim 16 , wherein the etching solution tank has a quadrilateral cross section, a bottom surface and four surfaces extending vertically from the bottom surface, wherein each of the four surfaces comprise two vertical edges and two horizontal edges and the four surfaces comprise two pairs of opposing surfaces. 
     
     
       19. The glass etching system of  claim 18 , wherein one of the plurality of ultrasonic transducers extends along the horizontal edges of one of the pairs of opposing surfaces. 
     
     
       20. The glass etching system of  claim 19 , wherein the plurality of ultrasonic transducers is continuously arranged to extend across one of the pairs of opposing surfaces. 
     
     
       21. The glass etching system of  claim 20 , wherein the plurality of ultrasonic transducers is continuously arranged to extend across the bottom surface. 
     
     
       22. The glass etching system of  claim 18 , wherein the plurality of ultrasonic transducers are continuously arranged to extend across an upper portion of one of the pairs of opposing surfaces and to extend across a middle portion of the bottom surface. 
     
     
       23. The glass etching system of  claim 16 , further comprising a water tank wherein the etching solution tank is disposed within the water tank and the water tank is disposed within the container. 
     
     
       24. The glass etching system of  claim 16 , wherein the standard deviation of relative ultrasonic power within the working area of less than about 0.25. 
     
     
       25. The glass etching system of  claim 16 , wherein the relative ultrasonic power at each point in the working area is in a range from about 0.8 to about 1.6. 
     
     
       26. The glass etching system of  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of ultrasonic transducers are configured to extend along the length of the horizontal edges of the side surfaces of the container, such that there are transducers configured along the length of the bottom two corners and the top two corners of the container. 
     
     
       27. The glass etching system of  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of ultrasonic transducers are configured in a continuously spaced configuration along the height of the side surfaces of the container and extending along the length of the side surfaces of the container and continuously spaced along the width of the bottom surface of the container and extending along the length of bottom surface of the container. 
     
     
       28. The glass etching system of  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of ultrasonic transducers are configured in continuously spaced configuration along an upper 80% of the height of the side surfaces of the container and extending along the length of the side surfaces of the container and continuously spaced along a middle 60% of the width of bottom surface of the container and extending along the length of bottom surface of the container. 
     
     
       29. The glass etching system of  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of ultrasonic transducers are configured in continuously spaced configuration along an upper 70% of the height of the side surfaces of the container and extending along the length of the side surfaces of the container and continuously spaced along a middle 40% of the width of bottom surface of the container and extending along the length of bottom surface of the container. 
     
     
       30. The glass etching system of  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of ultrasonic transducers are configured in continuously spaced configuration along a height of side surfaces of the container and extending along the length of side surfaces of the container. 
     
     
       31. The glass etching system of  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of ultrasonic transducers are configured in continuously spaced configuration along an upper 40% of the height of each side surface of the container and extending along the length of side surfaces of the container; continuously spaced along a lower 20% of the height of each side surface of the container and extending along the length of side surfaces of the container; continuously spaced along a left 20% of the width of bottom surface of the container and extending along the length of bottom surface of the container; and continuously spaced along a right 20% of the width of bottom surface of the container and extending along the length of bottom surface of the container.